Sue Rodriguez was a Canadian right-to-die activist. In August 1991, she was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease) and was given two to five years to live.
She ultimately made the decision to end her life and she sought the assistance of a doctor to that end, leading to a legal battle.
She lost her case in front of the Supreme Court of Canada but took her own life with the help of an anonymous doctor on February 12, 1994. She is cited as an important figure in the eventual legalization of medical assistance for dying in Canada.
On June 17, 2016, medically assisted death became legal in Canada. An emotional Svend Robinson, who now lives in Geneva, Switzerland, told the press: “Today’s ruling is a victory for compassion, for justice and for humanity.
And I pay tribute to the memory of Sue Rodriguez, who with courage, passion and dignity blazed the trail that led to this historic day. She would have been thrilled”.
Sue Rodriguez Husband: Was Sue Rodriguez Married?
In her mid-20s after the breakup of her first marriage, she moved to California where she spent a lot of time outdoors.
An athletic, free-spirited woman who enjoyed hiking, climbing, and cross-country skiing. There, she met and married Henry Rodriguez.
In 1984, a son was born. And shortly after that, she returned to Canada with her new family to a home in the suburbs, north of Victoria.
Seven years later, things started to go wrong. She and her husband had decided to separate. They had been apart for seven months and the house was up for sale.
She tried to live her personal life to the fullest while searching for meaning in the tragic context of her imminent and untimely death. She jealously guarded her family’s privacy. There was no media circus surrounding her husband, child and friends.